Best No Annual Fee Travel Credit Cards of December 2023
ALSO CONSIDER: Best credit cards of 2023 || Best rewards credit cards || Best airline credit cards || Best hotel credit cards
No-annual-fee travel credit cards offer rewards for no yearly cost of card ownership. This can be appealing to frugal or infrequent travelers. Keep in mind, however, that these cards lack the richer rewards and perks of cards that do charge annual fees. For some travelers, paying an annual fee is worth it thanks to those incentives, which can include things like travel credits, bonus rewards, airport lounge access, free checked bags, priority boarding, hotel status and more. The value of such perks can more than offset an annual fee. But for those who are adamantly opposed to paying one, here are our favorite no-annual-fee travel cards.
Show summary
NerdWallet's Best No Annual Fee Travel Credit Cards of December 2023
Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card: Best for General travel
Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card: Best for General travel
Bilt World Elite Mastercard® Credit Card: Best for General travel
Discover it® Miles: Best for General travel
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card: Best for General travel
Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card: Best for Airline travel
United Gateway℠ Card: Best for Airline travel
Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card: Best for Hotel rewards
Hilton Honors American Express Card: Best for Hotel rewards
IHG® One Rewards Traveler Credit Card: Best for Hotel rewards
Best No Annual Fee Travel Credit Cards From Our Partners
Credit card | NerdWallet rating | Annual fee | Rewards rate | Intro offer | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Find the right credit card for you.
Whether you want to pay less interest or earn more rewards, the right card's out there. Just answer a few questions and we'll narrow the search for you.
Whether you want to pay less interest or earn more rewards, the right card's out there. Just answer a few questions and we'll narrow the search for you.
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FULL LIST OF EDITORIAL PICKS: BEST NO ANNUAL FEE TRAVEL CARDS
Click the card name to read our review. Before applying, confirm details on the issuer’s website.
» FOR GENERAL-PURPOSE TRAVEL REWARDS
Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card
The Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card offers so much value, it's hard to believe there's no annual fee. Start with a great bonus offer, then earn extra rewards in a host of common spending categories — restaurants, gas stations, transit, travel, streaming and more. Read our review.
Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card
One of the best no-annual-fee travel cards available, the Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card gives you a solid rewards rate on every purchase, with points that can be redeemed for any travel purchase, without the restrictions of branded airline and hotel cards. Bank of America® has an expansive definition of "travel," too, giving you additional flexibility in how you use your rewards. Read our review.
Bilt World Elite Mastercard® Credit Card
Our pick for: Rewards on rent payments
The Bilt World Elite Mastercard® Credit Card stands out by offering credit card rewards on rent payments without incurring an additional fee. The ability to earn rewards on what for many people is their single biggest monthly expense makes this card worth a look for any renter. You also get bonus points on dining and travel, and redemption options include point transfers to partner hotel and loyalty programs. Read our review.
Discover it® Miles
The Discover it® Miles is the rare travel credit card that lets you redeem your rewards for travel or for cash back at the same rate. (Also rare among travel cards is its intro APR period for balance transfers.) You earn unlimited 1.5 miles per dollar spent on purchases, and the miles are generally worth 1 cent apiece — that's a solid rate for a card with no annual fee. As with other Discover cards, this one matches the rewards you earn in your first year. Read our review.
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card
With the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card, you don't pay an annual fee, but you also don't get rewards as rich as those on the regular Venture card (see rates and fees). Read our review.
» FOR AIRLINE TRAVEL
American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp®
For occasional but loyal American Airlines flyers, the no-annual-fee American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® is a cost-effective way to earn not only miles but also credit toward elite frequent-flyer status. Read our review.
Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card
To unlock the most valuable perks of airline credit cards, you'll have to pay an annual fee. But if you're a leisure traveler just hoping to earn airline miles in the background, it's hard to do better than the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card. Read our review.
United Gateway℠ Card
This entry-level card gives occasional leisure flyers who prefer United Airlines a way to try out an airline credit card for free. Unlike a lot of cards in its class, it won't cost anything to carry, even if you seldom use it. But it lacks valuable airline-card perks, such as free checked bags and early boarding. Read our review.
JetBlue Card
With the JetBlue Card, you can earn easy rewards on everyday purchases in addition to airfare. And you won’t have to worry about blackout dates once you’re ready to redeem them. Read our review.
» FOR HOTEL REWARDS
Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card
The Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card offers bonus rewards not only on purchases at Marriott Bonvoy hotels, but also on other travel purchases. Plus, you'll earn automatic Silver status and the valuable perks that come with it. Read our review.
Hilton Honors American Express Card
The Hilton Honors American Express Card earns bonus rewards on Hilton stays and in common everyday categories. You also get automatic Silver status. Terms apply. Read our review.
IHG® One Rewards Traveler Credit Card
The IHG® One Rewards Traveler Credit Card earns rewards quickly on IHG hotel stays and eligible everyday purchases. Read our review.
Wyndham Rewards Earner® Card
The Wyndham Rewards Earner® Card rewards you well for Wyndham stays, while also earning bonus points in some popular everyday categories. It offers Gold status and a way to earn a free night each year if you spend enough, all for a $0 annual fee. Read our review.
Best Western Rewards® Mastercard®
The Best Western Rewards® Mastercard® offers solid rewards you can redeem for stays and a variety of other options. With automatic Gold status, you also get additional perks. Read our review.
Last updated on December 7, 2023
Methodology
NerdWallet's credit cards team selects the best credit cards in each category based on overall consumer value. Factors in our evaluation include fees, promotional and ongoing APRs, and sign-up bonuses; for rewards cards, we consider earning and redemption rates, redemption options and redemption difficulty. A single card is eligible to be chosen as among the "best" in multiple categories. Learn how NerdWallet rates credit cards.
